Shelf structure



D. H. PORTER 3,264,050

SHELF STRUCTURE Aug. 2, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet l fil/1l 74( Wwf/f1;

BY fw m, M/,4% Melfi/#gyn D. H. .PQRTER SHELF STRUCTURE Aug, 2, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 5o, 1964 L mm W Tal W www 4M m W w a h w/A D. H. PQRTER SHELF STRUCTURE Aug, 2, i966 Filed April 50. l964 INVENTOR. zw/ 744 @f/f, BY

United States Patent O diana Filed Apr. 30, 1964, Ser. No. 363,769 10 Claims. (Cl. 312-325) This invention relates to a shelf structure and more particularly to an extensible desk-forming shelf structure.

It is an object of the invention to provide a shelf structure of attractive appearance which can be economically -manufactured largely from inexpensive sheet-metal and metal-tubing, which will provide an extensible deskforming shelf surface, which can be easily assembled from a compact knocked-down condition, and which will prove sturdy and durable in use. It is a further object of the invention to provide a shelf structure having an extensible desk-forming shelf surface which will provide an easily manipulatable closure for a cabinet.

In accordance with the preferred form lof the invention, there is provided a pair of shelves each having a plana-r top wall and a substantially continuous border skirt. A plurality of vertically extending legs are connected to said shelves at the corners thereof for supporting said shelves in parallel vertically spaced relationship. A plurality yof side panels extend between the shelves along three of their sides and act in combination with said shelves to form a cabinet structure.

A pair of guides are interposed between the pair of shelves and are mounted on the legs at the opposite ends of said shelves. A pair of angulated slides are swingably and slidably connected at one of their ends to the pair of guides. The opposite ends of said slides are swingably connected to the opposed ends of a third shelf about an axis parallel to the axis of the slide and guide interconnection. The third shelf is movable with and with respect to said slides between a vertically oriented retracted position in which it extends between said pair of shelves to enclose the fourth sides thereof and an extended horizontal position coplanar with the lower of said pair of shelves and projecting outwardly from the fourth side thereof. In such extended position, said third shelf and the lower of said pair of shelves act in combination with each other to form a substantially continuous desk surface.

Means are provided on the slides to releasably engage said lower and third shelves for supporting said third shelf in its extended position. Means are also provided on said third shelf to engage the upper and lower of said pair of shelves for releasably retaining third shelf in its retracted position and supporting said third shelf in its extended position, respectively.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the more detailed description which follows and from the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary front elevation of a shelf structure embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary end elevation of the shelf structure shown in FIG. 1, but showing said structure in a desk-forming position;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical section taken on a line 3-3 of FIG. l;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical section similar to FIG. 3, but showing the shelf structure in a desk-forming position;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal section taken on the line 5 5 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the extensible shelf shown in FIG. 5.

As shown, a pair of vertically spaced, rectangular shelves 10 and 12 are mounted on front and rear groundengaging legs 14 and 16 at each of their corners, as by brackets 17 bolted to said legs. Conveniently, the shelves 10 and 12 are formed from sheet-metal and are identical in construction. As shown, the shelf 10 includes a horizontally disposed top wall 18 which terminates along its edges in a downwardly projecting border skirt 19 having an inwardly rolled bead 20. Similarly, the shelf 12 includes a horizontally disposed top wall 21 which terminates along its edges in a depending border ski-rt 22 having an inwardly rolled bead 23.

A pair of end panels 24 and a back panel 25 extend between the shelves 10 and 12 to enclose said shelves along three sides thereof. The ends of the panel 24 are provided with flanges 26 which abut the adjacent faces of the legs 14 and 16 at the ends of the shelves, and the ends of the panel are provided with flanges 27 which abut the adjacent faces of the rear legs 16 at the rear of the shelves. The panels 24 and 25 are identical in construction and differ only in the longer length of the panel 25 which interconnects the rearwardly disposed longitudinal edges of the pair of shelves. Each of the panels 24 and 25 has its lower end hooked inwardly, as at 28, for reception under the lower shelf head 23. Said panels lie on the general vertical planes of the skirts 19 and 22 and have their upper margins offset inwardly, as at 29, to dispose said margins inwardly of the upper shelf bead 29. A plurality of spaced openings 30 are formed in the margins 29 for reception of a plurality of yieldable brackets 31 bindingly retained in said openings and between the bead 20 and the inner face of the skirt 19 for mounting the panels 24 and 25 `on the shelf 10. Thus, with the panels 24 and 25 connected to the shelves 10 and 12, said shelves and panels act in combination with each other to provide a cabinet enclosed along the top and bottom and three of its sides.

A guide 35 is interconnected between each pair of adjacent legs 14 and 16 between the shelves 10 and 12. The guides 35 are identical in construction, and as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, each comprises a vertical web 36 having an inwardly projecting ange 37 along its lower edge and an outwardly projecting flange 38 along its upper edge engaging the rear face of the adjacent leg 14. An offset finger 39 at the forward end of the web 36 is lockingly received in an opening 40 formed in the adjacent leg 14 for connecting the forward end of the guide thereto. The opposite end of the guide is connected to the adjacent leg 16 by a bracket 42 having an offset finger 44 lockingly received in an opening 46 formed in said leg. The bracket is adjustably mounted on the guide for adjusting the effective length of said guide by a bolt 47 carried on said bracket and received in a slot 48 formed in the guide adjacent the rear end thereof. A second finger 49 on the bracket is carried in the slot 48 for guiding the adjusting movements of the bracket along the guide upon loosening of the bolt 47.

A -slide having a pair of arms 54 and 55 disposed at an `obtuse angle to each other is carried from each guide 35. As shown, the slide end 54 is swingably connected to the guide 35 by a pin 56 slidably carried in a longitudinally extending slot 58 formed in the guide web 36 to thus permit said slide to be both swingably and longitudinally movable with respect to said guide. The outer end of the slide end is swingably connected by a pin 60 to a third shelf 62 which is movable with and with respect to the slide between a retracted position in which it is disposed in a vertical orientation extending between the shelves 10 and 12 to close the cabinet formed by said shelves and the panels 24 and 25 and an extended horizontal desk-forming position coplanar with the lower shelf 12.

The shelf 62 has a generally rectangular configuration with a depth corresponding to the vertical distance between the upper shelf bead 20 and the lower shelf top wall 21 and a width slightly less than the distance between the adjacent faces of the front legs 14. Conveniently, said shelf is formed from sheet-metal and includes a top wall 63 which terminates along its edges in a downwardly projecting border skirt 64 having an inwardly rolled bead 65. The top wall 63 and skirt 64 are recessed at each corner of the shelf to form mounting seats for a plurality of corner blocks 66.

As shown in FIG. 4, a brace 67 extends along each end of the shelf 62 against the skirt 64 with its lower edge interposed between the inner face `of said skirt and the bead 65. An offset 68 is for-med in one end of the brace 67 to abut the adjacent inner faces of the adjacent corner member 66 thereto. The opposite end of said brace is provided with a similar offset 72 abutting the adjacent inner faces of the adjacent corner block 66. Each of the brace offsets 68 and 72 is connected to its associated block 66 by a bolt 74 for thus interconnecting the braces and corner blocks to each other and to the shelf 62. The lower edge of the offset 72 terminates in an inwardly and rearwardly projecting finger 76 which projects rearwardly beyond the adjacent edge of the shelf 62.

The shelf 62 is further strengthened by a transversely extending brace 78 laying against the bottom face of the top wall 63. The brace 78 is conveniently formed from a length of metal tubing and has its ends flattened, as at 80, and bent downwardly to provide a pair of ears 82 Cil which abut the inner faces of a skirt 64 at the opposite ends of the shelf 62 and are received between said skirt and the bead 65. Conveniently, the pins 60 swingably interconnecting the slide end 55 and shelf 62 also extend through the braces 67 and ears 82 for interconnecting said braces 67 and 78 to the shelf. The brace 78 is further interconnected to the 4shelf 62 adjacent its opposed ends by a pair of handles 86 carried on the top wall 63 and having threaded ends projecting through the flattened portions 80 of said brace for the reception of nuts 87.

The slide 54 and 55 is adapted to move the shelf 62 into an extended position coplanar with the lower shelf 12 with their skirts 64 and 22 in abutting relationship so that said shelves form an extended desk surface. With the shelf 62 extended, the slide ends 54 angle forwardly and downwardly engaging the front ends of the guide flanges 37, and in inwardly projecting foot 90 on each of said slide ends rests n the lower shelf top wall 21 for releasably supporting the shelf 62 in its desk-forming position. The slide ends 55 are provided with inwardly projecting, upwardly open hooks 92 engageable with the bead 65 at the ends of the shelf 62 for thus supporting the rearward portion of the shelf 62. And the forward portion of the shelf 62 is supported by the fingers 76 on the braces 67 bearing against the lower face of the bead 23 on shelf 12 to thus prevent the rear edge of the shelf 62 from tilting upwardly when a downwardly directed force is applied to its front edge.

In its retracted position shown in FIG. 3, the shelf 62 is supported along its lower edge by its skirt 64 resting on the top wall 21 of the shelf 12. The fingers 76 project upwardly above the bottom of the bead 20 on the shelf along the forward stretch of said shelf to releasably retain the shelf 62 in its retracted position. In this retracted position, the slide pins 56 will have been moved rearwardly in the guide slots 58 and the slide ends 54 will be in a generally horizontal orientation. With the shelf 62 in its retracted position, and with the depth of the shelf 62 approximating the vertical distance between the shelves 10 and 12 and the widths of the shelf 62 approximating the distance between the legs 14, the top and lateral edges of the shelf 62 will be disposed immediately adjacent the bead and legs 14, respectively, so that it acts in combination with the shelves 10 and 12 and the panels 24 and 25 to form a completely closed cabinet.

To move the shelf 62 from its extended position shown in FIG. 4 into its retracted position shown in FIG. 3, the forward edge of said shelf s swung upwardly about the transverse axis of the pins 56 to clear the fingers 76 from the lower shelf bead 23. The forward edge of the shelf 62 is then swung downwardly about the transverse axis of the pins 60, and said shelf is moved inwardly with the pins 56 sliding rearwardly in the gui-de slots 58. As the shelf 62 is moved inwardly toward the shelves 10 and 12, with its lower end angled slightly outwardly, the handles 86 may be grasped to guide the nger-s 76 in behind the upper shelf ybead 20. When said ngers are seated in behind the bead 20, the lower end of the shelf 62 is swung inwardly to cause the skirt 64 to rest on the lower shelf top wall 21. The shelf 62 is ymoved into its extended desk-forming position by merely reversing the movements just described.

I claim:

1. In a shelf structure,

(a) upper and lower generally rectangular shelves rigidly mounted at their opposed ends on pairs of vertically extending legs,

(1b) a plurality of panels extending between said upper and lower shelves along three sides thereof,

(c) a guide carried on each of said pairs of legs between said upper and lower shelves,

(d) a pair of angulated slides each swingably and slidably connected at one end of its ends to one of said guides,

(e) a third generally rectangular shelf having a depth approximating the spacing between the upper and lower shelves and a width approximating the spacing between the legs along the fourth side of said upper and lower shelves,

(f) said third shelf being swingably connected to the -other ends of said slides and movable with and with respect to said slides between a retracted vertical position extending between said upper and lower shelves along the `fourth side thereof and an extended horizontal position coplanar with said lower shelf arfld projecting outwardly from the fourth side there- 0 7 (g) means on at least one of said slides releasably engageable with said third a-nd lower shelves for releasably supporting said third shelf in extended position, and

(h) 'means on said third shelf releasably engageable with said upper shelf for releasably retaining said third shelf in retracted position and said means releasably engageable with said lower shelf for releasably supporting said third shelf in extended position.

2. In a shelf structure,

(a) upper and lower rectangular shelves rigidly mounted at their opposed ends on pairs of vertically extending legs,

(b) a guide carried on each of said pairs of legs between said upper and lower shelves,

(c) a pair o-f angulated slides each swingably and slidably connected at one of its ends to one of said guides,

(d) a third shelf swingably connected to the other ends of said slides and movable with and with respect to said slides between a retracted vertical position extending between said upper and lower shelves along one side thereof land an extended horizontal position coplanar with said lower shelf and projecting outwardly from one side thereof,

(e) each of said shelves having a planar supporting surface terminating in a downwardly directed border skirt, land.

(f) a foot on each of said slides engageable with the supporting surface on said lower shelf and a hook engageable with the skirt on said third shelf for releasably supporting said third shelf in extended position,

3. In a shelf structure,

(a) upper and lower rectangular shelves rigidly mounted at their oposed ends on pairs of vertically extending legs,

(-b) a guide carried on each of said pairs of legs between said upper and lower shelves,

(c) ya pair of angulated slides each swing-ably and slidably connected at one of its ends to one of said guides,

(d) a third shelf swingably connected to the other ends of said slides and movable with and with respect to said slides between a retracted vertical position extending between said upper and lower shelves along one side thereof and an extended horizontal position coplanar with said lower shelf and projecting outwardly from one side thereof,

(e) means are provided on said third shelf releasably engageable with said upper shelf for retaining said third shelf in retracted position and said means being `releasably engageable with said lower shelf for supporting said third shelf in extended position.

y4. In a shelf structure,

(a) upper `and lower rectangular shelves rigidly mounted at their opposed ends on pairs of vertically extending legs,

(b) a plurality of panels extending between said upper and lower shelves along three sides thereof,

(c) 1a guide carried on each of said pairs of legs between said upper and lower shelves and each having an elongated slot formed therein,

(d) a pair of yangulated slides each having one of its ends slidably and rotatably carried in the slot in one of said guides and defining a transverse swinging axis for said slides,

(e) a third shelf having a depth approximating the spacing between the upper and lower shelves and a width approximating the spacing between the legs in the fourth side of said upper and lower shelves and swingably connected to the other ends of said slides on a transverse swinging axis parallel to the swinging axis of said slides,

(f) said third shelf being movable with and with respect to said slides between a retracted vertical position extending between said upper and lower shelves along the fourth side thereof Iand an extended horizontal position coplanar with said lower shelf and projecting outwardly from the fourth side thereof,

(g) .each of said guides having an offset finger at one of its ends lockingly received in an opening formed in an adjacent leg in said pair of legs, and

(h) a bracket is adjustably connected to the opposite end of each of said guides and is provided with an offset finger lockingly received in the other leg in said pair of legs.

5. The invention as set forth in claim 4 in which (a) said bracket has a finger slidably supported in a second slot in said guide, and

(fb) fastening means extend through said bracket and second guide slot for bindingly retaining said bracket in the desired position of adjustment along said guide.

`6. In a shelf structure,

(a) upper `and lower rectangular shelves rigidly mounted at their opposed ends on pairs of vertically extending legs,

(b) a guide carried on eac-h of said pairs of legs between said upper and lower shelves,

(c) a pair of angulated slides each swingably and slidably connected at one of its ends to one of said guides,

(d) a third shelf swingably connected to the other ends of said slides and movable with and with respect to said slides between a retracted vertical position extending between said upper and lower shelves along one side thereof and an extended horizontal position coplanar with said lower shelf and projecting outwardly from said one side thereof,

(e) each of said upper, lower, and third shelves having a planar supporting surface terminating in border skirt,

(f) a pair of braces on said third shelf having lingers projecting outwardly therefrom and receivable against the skirt on said upper shelf for releasably retaining said third shelf in retracted position and receivable against the skirt on said lower shelf for releasably supporting said third shelf in extended position, and

(g) means on said slides engageable with the supporting surface o-n said lower shelf and skirt on said third shelf for releasably supporting said third shelf in extended position.

7. The invention las set forth in claim 6 in which (a) said skirt on said third shelf terminates in a-n inwardly rolled bead and said pair of 'braces are interposed between the inner face of said skirt and said bead at the opposite ends of said shelf,

(b) a third transversely extending brace on said third shelf having ears at its opposite ends is interposed between said pair of braces and said bead, and

v(c) means rigidly connect said pair of braces and third brace to said third shelf.

`8. The invention as set forth in claim 7 in which (a) said pair of braces and third brace are connected to said third s-helf by means swingably connecting said pair of slides to said third shelf.

9. The invention as set forth in claim 8 in which (a) said third brace is further connected to said third shelf by a pair of handles mounted on the supporting surface of said shelf.

lil. In a shelf structure,

(a) a pair of upper and lower shelves,

(b) means interconnecting said shelves retaining them in vertically spaced relation,

(c) ya pair of guides interposed between said upper and lower shelves,

(d) a pair of slides each having one of its ends slidably and pivotally connected to said guides,

(e) Ia third shelf pivotally connected to the other ends of said guides for movement with and with respect yto said slides between a retracted vertical position in which its upper edge is disposed adjacent the upper shelf and an operative position in which said upper edge is disposed adjacent the lower shelf and said third' and lower shelves are generally coplanar, and

(f) means for releasably retaining said third shelf in its retracted and operative positions.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 489,611 1/1893 MacNeece 312--316 833,687 10/1906 Herzog 312-315 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Examiner.

F. DOMOTOR, Assistant Examiner. 

10. IN A SHELF STRUCTURE, (A) A PAIR OF UPPER AND LOWER SHELVES, (B) MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID SHELVES RETAINING THEM IN VERTICALLY SPACED RELATION, (C) A PAIR OF GUIDES INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID UPPER AND LOWER SHELVES, (D) A PAIR OF SLIDES EACH HAVING ONE OF ITS ENDS SLIDABLY AND PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID GUIDES, (E) A THIRD SHELF PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE OTHER ENDS OF SAID GUIDES FOR MOVEMENT WITH AND WITH RESPECT TO SAID SLIDES BETWEEN A RETRACTED VERTICAL POSITION IN WHICH ITS UPPER EDGE IS DISPOSED ADJACENT THE UPPER SHELF AND AN OPERATIVE POSITION IN WHICH SAID UPPER EDGE IS DISPOSED ADJACENT THE LOWER SHELF AND SAID THIRD AND LOWER SHELVES ARE GENERALLY COPLANAR, AND (F) MEANS FOR RELEASABLY RETAINING SAID THIRD SHELF IN ITS RETRACTED AND OPERATIVE POSITIONS. 